Ventilation panels having curved openings and structures incorporating such ventilation panels

ABSTRACT

Pliable ventilation panels having curved openings provided at opposing locations with respect to a midline that are selectively openable and closeable are disclosed. The ventilation panels are generally fabricated from pliable materials and may be opened at one or more locations along the opening(s) to provide ventilation and/or access at different locations along the opening(s).

REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/533,734 filed Sep. 12, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to flexible ventilation panels having curved openings that are selectively openable at different locations. These ventilation panels are generally fabricated from pliable materials and may be incorporated in both pliable and rigid structures to provide ventilation and/or access between an interior and an exterior selectively at one or more locations along the opening.

SUMMARY

Ventilation panels of the present invention have one or more curved openings that are selectively openable to provide ventilation and/or access at one or more locations along the opening. In one implementation, one or more flexible ventilation panels is incorporated in a fabric structure such as a tent, and the openings may be selectively opened to provide ventilation at different locations along the openings, e.g., selectively in higher and/or lower locations, or selectively in side-by-side or upper/lower locations.

In some embodiments, multiple curved openings are formed as a continuous close-able opening having curved portions positioned at different locations along the opening, e.g., on opposite sides of a midline. In some embodiments, the curved openings may be provided in a modified S-configuration or a modified reverse-S configuration, with at least one curved portion extending in each direction away from a midline at different locations. Multiple curved openings may have substantially the same curvature and configuration, or different curvatures and configurations may be provided. Curved portions may be arranged to provide substantially symmetrical openings with respect to a centerline. Alternatively, the arrangement and/or size of openings may be asymmetrical and/or differently configured with respect to a centerline.

The openings are selectively openable and closable by means of zippers, self-locking fasteners such as a hook and loop-type fastener (e.g., Velcro®), and other types of opening and closure mechanisms. Various types of mechanical closure mechanisms such as simple ties, various types of buckles, hooks, detachably mating mechanisms, and the like may also be used. Separate opening and closure mechanisms may be provided for each opening, or a continuous closure mechanism, such as a continuous zipper, may be provided along two or more openings. In some embodiments, zippers with multiple zipper pulls and other types of fasteners may be operable in two directions, allowing selective opening and closing of openings from two directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Certain illustrative embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail in the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a tent structure with a ventilation panel, which may also provide an entry to the interior, having a continuous, close-able opening in the form of curves extending in opposite directions from a centerline (shown as the dashed line), with the close-able openings in a closed condition.

FIG. 2 shows the tent structure and ventilation panel of claim 1 with the upper curved opening in an open condition providing an upper vent.

FIG. 3 shows the tent structure and ventilation panel of claim 1 with the lower curved opening in an open condition providing a lower vent.

FIG. 4 shows the tent structure and ventilation panel of claim 1 with both the upper and lower curved openings in an open condition, providing an extended vent opening.

FIG. 5 shows the tent structure and ventilation panel of claim 1 with both the upper and lower curved openings in an open condition, and with the base attachment released and the panels secured in an open condition.

FIGS. 6A-6D show a different type of tent structure having a ventilation panel that may also serve as an entry having a continuous, close-able opening in the form of curves having different sizes and configurations extending in opposite directions from a midline (shown as the dashed line). FIG. 6A shows a ventilation panel with the close-able openings in a closed condition; FIG. 6B shows a ventilation panel with the upper opening in an open condition; FIG. 6C shows a ventilation panel with the lower opening in an open condition; FIG. 6D shows a ventilation panel with both upper and lower openings in an open condition; and FIG. 6E shows the openings of the ventilation panel in an open condition and a base closure in an open condition, providing access to the interior of the tent structure.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a tent structure 10 having a ventilation panel 12 bisected by a midine 13. Ventilation panel 12 is generally constructed from a flexible material, such as pliable fabric. The term “fabric,” as used herein, refers to any pliable material, including traditional fabrics comprising woven or non-woven fibers or strands, as well as fiber reinforced sheet materials, and other types of flexible sheeting materials composed of natural and/or synthetic materials, including flexible plastic sheeting material, pliable thermoplastic, foam and composite materials, screen-like or mesh materials, and the like. Pliable materials forming the ventilation panel may be treated or impregnated with various types of compositions and coatings to provide desired properties, including water resistance, fire resistance, breathability, wear resistance and the like, and fabric composites comprising multiple layers of constituent materials may be used. Although ventilation panel 12 is illustrated as part of a tent structure, it will be appreciated that ventilation panels of the present invention are suitable for use in connection with various types of structures, including and not limited to, tent shelters, portable, semi-permanent and/or permanent protected shelters for residential, work and recreational applications, exhibition structures, special purpose enclosures, and the like.

Ventilation panel 12 incorporates a continuous, close-able opening 14 provided as a pair of curved openings 16, 20 extending in opposite directions from midline 13. In this illustrative embodiment, curved openings 16, 20 are symmetrical with respect to centerline 13 and are provided in the configuration of a shallow, reverse S-shape, with upper curved opening 16 extending to the right of the centerline and lower curved opening 18 extending to the left of the centerline. Curved openings 16, 20 are preferably provided as close-able openings, where closing and opening may be accomplished, for example, by operating a zipper or another opening and closure device. In one embodiment, a zipper that operates bi-directionally, or another bi-directionally operating opening and closure device, may be installed along the length of opening 14. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, curved opening 16 is openable from an upper region 18 by moving the zipper downwardly and close-able by moving the zipper upwardly, while curved opening 20 is openable from a lower region 22 by moving the zipper upwardly and close-able by moving the zipper downwardly.

FIG. 2 shows illustrative locations of fasteners for holding various portions of the ventilation panel in an open condition. Fasteners 24A and 24B are provided on opposite sides of mid-line 13 from the location of curved openings 16, 20, respectively, in the closed condition. Fasteners 24A and 24B are likewise provided generally at a midpoint between upper region 18 and central region 26 and lower region 22 and central region 26, respectively. It will be recognized that many different types of fasteners are known, and various different types of fasteners may be employed for securing fabric flaps. It will also be recognized that while the fasteners are illustrated mounted on the exterior of the tent structure, they may alternatively be mounted on the interior of the tent structure.

Thus, an upper ventilation opening may be provided, as schematically shown in FIG. 2, by moving the zipper from upper region 18 to central region 26 of opening 14, and securing the fabric “flap” released from curved opening 16 at fastener 24A. This provides a generally oval or elliptical upper ventilation opening, while leaving the remaining portion of the structure closed and sealed. Similarly, a lower ventilation opening may be provided, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, by moving the zipper from lower region 22 to central region 26 of opening 14, and securing the fabric “flap” released from curved opening 20 at fastener 24B. This provides a lower ventilation opening, while leaving the remaining portion of the structure closed and sealed.

In some embodiments utilizing a bi-directional zipper mechanism, two zipper pulls may be provided, each operating along substantially the same curved opening to fully or partially open or close the respective curved openings. In some embodiments utilizing a bi-directional zipper mechanism at the curved openings, three zipper pulls may be provided and arranged so that a bottom pull fully opens the zippered seam from the floor level up to allow a bottomless full-length entryway/doorway opening and two pulls arranged above the bottom pull open in opposite directions to each other to allow a moveable and adjustable ventilation opening that can be positioned anywhere along the zippers pathway and can be opened as small or as large as desired.

FIG. 4 illustrates a ventilation opening formed as a result of opening both upper and lower curved openings 16, 20, respectively, and securing both upper and lower flaps using fasteners 24A, 24B. Upper and lower curved openings may be simultaneously open by sliding a continuous, bidirectional zipper fastener from top to bottom, or from bottom to top. The lower region 22 remains closed, forming a substantially continuous base edge, in this condition, which provides a generally oval or elliptical opening extending from upper region 18 to lower region 22.

FIG. 5 illustrates a ventilation opening as shown in the previous figures in combination with a releasable base edge mechanism, allowing the ventilation opening to open more fully and serve as an entry. In this embodiment, a releasable base edge mechanism provided in lower region 22 is operated to release the base edges that are joined in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, releasing flaps extending in opposite directions from the mid-line. Fasteners 26A, 26B, 26C and 26D may be provided, as shown, for securing the flaps and providing an entry opening to the interior of the tent structure.

FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate a similar ventilation panel provided in a different style of tent structure, in an embodiment in which the upper and lower openings 16′, 20′ have different configurations, with lower opening 20′ extending further away from midline 13′ than upper opening 16′ and having a greater length than upper opening 16′. This configuration of the ventilation panel provides a relatively smaller upper ventilation opening as shown in FIG. 6B, and a relative larger lower ventilation opening as shown in FIG. 6C, while also providing a full length, generally oval or elliptical ventilation opening, as shown in FIG. 6D. In this tent structure, an additional closable opening 28 is provided at or near the base of ventilation panel 14′. Opening 28 may be openable in opposite directions from a central region, providing entry to the interior of the tent structure when upper and lower openings are in an open condition, with the flaps secured, as shown in FIG. 6E.

The curved opening structures described herein may be operated to provide different configurations of openings, at different locations, as illustrated. This type of opening may be used for many purposes, including for venting, (e.g., producing cross-ventilation in conjunction with another ventilation panel or opening), for passing things into and out of the tent, as a primary entry or exit, an emergency entrance or exit, or the like.

The ventilation panels illustrated herein extend for substantially the length of a tent panel. It will be appreciated that larger/longer and smaller/shorter curved vents may be provided, that they may be provided in a variety of orientations, that more than two curves may be provided. The curved openings may be symmetrically arranged with respect to a mid-line, or curved openings having different lengths and/or extending different distances from a midline may be provided. Curved openings may also be oriented on a line arranged at an angle to the vertical, providing non-vertically aligned openings. Curved openings having different radii and shapes may be provided. Fabric panels, or other types of panels constructed from a flexible sheet-like material may be used as ventilation panels of the present invention, and may be provided in various environments to serve many different types of ventilation needs. In some embodiments, flexible ventilation panels of the present invention may be mounted or otherwise provided in a substantially rigid framework that may be mounted in other types of structures, including building structures, to provide various degrees of ventilation, as desired.

It will be appreciated that the devices of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of different forms, and that the specific embodiments shown in the figures and described herein are presented with the understanding that the present disclosure is considered exemplary of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrations and description provided herein. 

1. A ventilation panel having at least two curved openings extending in each of opposite directions away from a midline, wherein each of the curved openings is selectively openable and closeable to provide ventilation selectively at multiple locations along the opening.
 2. The ventilation panel of claim 1, fabricated from a pliable material.
 3. The ventilation panel of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one zipper mechanism providing selective opening and closing of each of the at least two curved openings.
 4. The ventilation panel of claim 3, wherein the at least one zipper operates bi-directionally.
 5. The ventilation panel of claim 1, wherein the at least two curved openings have substantially the same configuration.
 6. The ventilation panel of claim 5, wherein the curved openings are arranged symmetrically with respect to the midline.
 7. The ventilation panel of claim 1, wherein the at least two curved openings have different configurations.
 8. The ventilation panel of claim 1, wherein a first curved opening is openable from an upper region toward a central region of the ventilation panel and a second curved opening is openable from a lower region toward a central region of the ventilation panel.
 9. The ventilation panel of claim 1, additionally comprising at least two fasteners for securing flaps released when the at least two curved openings are in an open condition.
 10. The ventilation panel of claim 1, additionally comprising a substantially continuous base edge that is releasable to an open condition at at least one location.
 11. A tent structure incorporating a ventilation panel of claim
 1. 12. A substantially rigid framework incorporating a ventilation panel of claim
 1. 